High density electrical connector

Abstract

A connector module for an electrical connector that has at least one wafer assembly with at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer. The contact wafer includes a plurality of contacts including at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact. Each of the contacts has a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite thereof and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module. A grounding gasket receives the board engagement ends of the contacts of the wafer assembly. The grounding gasket has at least one portion in electrical contact with the ground contact of the plurality of contacts. The ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module to the board.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector module for an electrical connector, comprising:
 at least one wafer assembly, the wafer assembly comprising at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer, the at least one contact wafer including,
 a plurality of contacts comprising at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact, each of the plurality of contacts having a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite the board engagement end and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module; and 
 
 a grounding gasket receiving the board engagement ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly, the grounding gasket having at least one portion in electrical contact with the at least one ground contact of the plurality of contacts, 
 wherein the at least one ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module, 
 wherein the plurality of contacts of the at least one contact wafer comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts, and the plurality of signal contacts are arranged in differential pairs wherein the differential pairs of the signal contacts and each of the plurality of ground contacts are positioned in an alternating arrangement in the at least one contact wafer, 
 wherein the grounding gasket has a frame with a plurality of open segments, each open segment has a portion in electrical contact with at least one of the ground contacts, and each open segment is sized to receive one of the differential pairs of the signal contacts positioned between two of the ground contacts where each of the ground contacts is in electrical contact with the frame. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket is formed of a lossy material. 
     
     
       3. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contacts are supported by a mold. 
     
     
       4. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the signal contacts are isolated from the at least one conductive member. 
     
     
       5. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the board engagement ends of the ground contacts are in electrical contact with the grounding gasket and the mating interface ends of the ground contacts are in electrical contact with the at least one conductive member. 
     
     
       6. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductive member is a plate or insert positioned adjacent to and abutting a face of the at least one contact wafer. 
     
     
       7. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein each differential pair of signal contacts is spaced from the frame. 
     
     
       8. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes one or more tab extensions configured to engage one or more corresponding notches in the at least one conductive member. 
     
     
       9. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wafer assembly further comprising a second conductive member such that the at least one contact wafer is sandwiched between the conductive members. 
     
     
       10. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wafer assembly further comprising a second contact wafer such that the at least one conductive member is sandwiched between the contact wafers. 
     
     
       11. The connector module of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one wafer assembly further comprises a second and third conductive members, the second conductive member being positioned adjacent to and abutting an outer face of the at least one contact wafer and the third conductive member being positioned adjacent to and abutting an outer face of the second contact wafer. 
     
     
       12. The connector module of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductive member is an insert having opposing sides, and each side has at least one ground contact engagement portion and at least one signal contact receiving portion. 
     
     
       13. The connector module of  claim 12 , wherein each side of the at least one conductive member has a plurality of ground contact engagement portions and a plurality of signal contact receiving portions wherein each of the ground contact engagement and signal contact receiving portions alternate with respect to one another. 
     
     
       14. The connector module of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of ground contact engagement portions and the plurality of signal contact receiving portions on one side are offset from the plurality of ground contact engagement portions and the plurality of signal contact receiving portions on the other side of the at least one conductive member. 
     
     
       15. A connector module for an electrical connector, comprising:
 at least one wafer assembly, the wafer assembly comprising at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer, the at least one contact wafer including,
 a plurality of contacts comprising at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact, each of the plurality of contacts having a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite the board engagement end and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module; and 
 
 a grounding gasket receiving the board engagement ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly, the grounding gasket having at least one portion in electrical contact with the at least one ground contact of the plurality of contacts, 
 wherein the at least one ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module, 
 wherein the plurality of contacts of the at least one contact wafer comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts; and the plurality of signal contacts are arranged in differential pairs wherein the differential pairs of the signal contacts and each of the plurality of ground contacts are positioned in an alternating arrangement in the at least one contact wafer, 
 wherein the at least one conductive member includes a plug portion corresponding to the mating interface ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly and configured for insertion into the mating connector module. 
 
     
     
       16. A connector module for an electrical connector, comprising:
 at least one wafer assembly, the wafer assembly comprising at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer, the at least one contact wafer including,
 a plurality of contacts comprising at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact, each of the plurality of contacts having a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite the board engagement end and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module; and 
 
 a grounding gasket receiving the board engagement ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly, the grounding gasket having at least one portion in electrical contact with the at least one ground contact of the plurality of contacts, 
 wherein the at least one ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module, 
 wherein the plurality of contacts of the at least one contact wafer comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts; and the plurality of signal contacts are arranged in differential pairs wherein the differential pairs of the signal contacts and each of the plurality of ground contacts are positioned in an alternating arrangement in the at least one contact wafer, 
 wherein the at least one conductive member is an insert having opposing sides, and each side has at least one ground contact engagement portion and at least one signal contact receiving portion, 
 wherein the ground contact engagement portion includes a coupling element configured to engage a corresponding coupling element of the ground contact. 
 
     
     
       17. The connector module of  claim 16 , wherein the coupling element of the ground contact engagement portion includes a projection and the coupling element of the ground contact is a slot sized to receive the projection. 
     
     
       18. A connector module for an electrical connector, comprising:
 at least one wafer assembly, the wafer assembly comprising at least one conductive member and at least one contact wafer, the at least one contact wafer including, 
 a plurality of contacts comprising at least one signal contact and at least one ground contact, each of the plurality of contacts having a board engagement end configured to engage a printed circuit board and a mating interface end opposite the board engagement end and configured to connect with a contact of a mating connector module; and 
 a grounding gasket receiving the board engagement ends of the plurality of contacts of the at least one wafer assembly, the grounding gasket having at least one portion in electrical contact with the at least one ground contact of the plurality of contacts, 
 wherein the at least one ground contact of the contact wafer is in electrical contact with both the at least one conductive member and the grounding gasket, thereby defining a grounding path through the connector module, 
 wherein the plurality of contacts of the at least one contact wafer comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts; and the plurality of signal contacts are arranged in differential pairs wherein the differential pairs of the signal contacts and each of the plurality of ground contacts are positioned in an alternating arrangement in the at least one contact wafer, 
 wherein the at least one conductive member is an insert having opposing sides, and each side has at least one ground contact engagement portion and at least one signal contact receiving portion, 
 wherein each side of the at least one conductive member has a plurality of ground contact engagement portions and a plurality of signal contact receiving portions wherein each of the ground contact engagement and signal contact receiving portions alternate with respect to one another, 
 wherein the plurality of ground contact engagement portions and the plurality of signal contact receiving portions on one side are off set from the plurality of ground contact engagement portions and the plurality of signal contact receiving portions on the other side of the at least one conductive member.